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Intel Connects PCs To Devices Using Light 179

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday September 24, 2009 @07:57AM from the fast-connection dept.

CWmike writes "Intel is working on a new optical interconnect that could possibly link mobile devices to displays and storage up to 100 meters away. The optical interconnect technology, Light Peak, could communicate data between systems and devices associated with PCs at speeds of up to 10Gbits/sec., said David Perlmutter, vice president and general manager of Intel's mobility group. The technology uses light to speed up data transmission between mobile devices and connected devices like storage, networking and audio devices, the company said. The technology could help transfer a full-length Blu-ray movie in less than 30 seconds, says a post on Intel's site. Light Peak can run multiple protocols simultaneously over a single cable, enabling mobile devices to perform tasks over multiple connected devices at the same time. 'Optical technology also allows for smaller connectors and longer, thinner, and more flexible cables than currently possible,' according to the Intel entry. It could also lead to thinner and fewer connectors on mobile devices, Perlmutter said."

Comment Now what would be impressive.. (Score 1) 146

by ProxyUser on Thursday July 02, 2009 @04:47PM (#28564081) Attached to: Land Rover Unveils "World's Toughest Phone"

is a phone that just works under normal usage pattern for most people. I'm talking about a simple candy bar phone like the ones Nokia used to make in 2001. Nowdays you cannot find a phone that does not have internet capable browser, email, etc. What happened to building a phone that does its primary function well. My ideal phone would have: 1. Excellent voice reception 2. 1 week + battery life 3. Bluetooth capability (hands free driving laws in my state) 4. sturdy design - survive a 3 ft fall to concrete - I don't expect to be chucking it out of a 2nd floor window! I can loose all the other bells-and-whitles. Of course, one simply can't buy a phone like this anymore in the US (especially if one wants it to work with AT&T).

Ulysses Space Mission Finally Coming To an End 45

Posted by Soulskill on Saturday June 27, 2009 @01:27PM from the four-more-year-four-more-years dept.

Dusty writes "After several false alarms, the Ulysses Mission is finally ending. According to the Spacecraft Operations Manager's latest status report, the last track will be on 30th June 2009 from 15:25 until 20:20 UTC. 'We've tried to bolster our dwindling tracking allocation with some success by grabbing antenna time released on short notice (mostly by the Spitzer Project). However, weekly data return figures are now typically 10% or less. And soon, even 512 bps from 70m antennas will be a thing of the past.' Further details about Ulysses' 18-year mission are available from NASA and the ESA. We discussed the failing spacecraft last summer when it looked like its fuel was going to freeze, but through clever engineering, experts managed to squeeze out another year.

14-Year-Old Boy Smote By Meteorite 435

Posted by samzenpus on Friday June 12, 2009 @02:39PM from the a-grounding-doesn't-seem-that-bad-now dept.

eldavojohn writes "Winning the lottery requires incredible luck and one in a million odds. So does getting hit by a falling space rock. A 14-year-old German boy was granted a three-inch scar by the gods. A pea-sized meteorite smote young Gerrit Blank's hand before leaving a foot-sized crater on the road. The boy's account: 'At first I just saw a large ball of light, and then I suddenly felt a pain in my hand. Then a split second after that there was an enormous bang like a crash of thunder. The noise that came after the flash of light was so loud that my ears were ringing for hours afterwards. When it hit me it knocked me flying and then was still going fast enough to bury itself into the road.' Curiously, the rock was magnetic, and tests were done to verify it is extraterrestrial. The Telegraph notes the only other recorded event of a meteorite striking a person was 'in November 1954 when a grapefruit-sized fragment crashed through the roof of a house, bounced off furniture and landed on a sleeping woman.' Space.com lists a few more anomalies and we discussed the probability of these things downing aircraft recently."

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